TrueClan
by New Dragon Rider
Summary: AU: Starts a while after first series. “Good bye my sweet little Fatekit, and dear Spiritkit. Fortunes attend to you and keep you safe, chosen ones of my last litter...
1. Chapter 1

TrueClan

On a chilly leaf-bare night, deep inside a nest made of brambles and shrubbery that shielded the young from the harsh cold, lay a variety of small kits. Two of these infants were taken out of their protective den and brought out into the cold moonlit night, where they could hear the sounds of many cats around them. Their small mouths opened in a soundless howl for their mother. The only answer that they got was a wail from the many unseen cats.

They squealed, and their mother whispered, "Good bye my sweet little Fatekit, and dear Spiritkit. Fortunes attend to you and keep you safe, chosen ones of my last litter. Remember this, the last and only farewell from your mother and your Clan, my dear ones. I hear you will never be told of me until you become TrueClan warriors. I hope you remember I love you and do not part willingly. Good bye!" Two cats with strange scents stalked up and lifted them, carefully grabbing the scruffs of their neck. They squirmed and cried, but to no avail. They were quickly carried off into the night, accompanied by three other kits from their Clan.

These cold collectors were from TrueClan, the unquestioned rulers of the forest, and a dominating force over the other four clans, ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan. For as long as any cat cared to remember, TrueClan had come to take promising kits, with coats of colors gold, white, or silver, to train them as the next generation of guardians. ThunderClan was the most powerful clan in the forest besides TrueClan. Before TrueClan had come, ThunderClan had been looked up to and respected. They kept to their territory and let the other clans stay on their own lands too. Because of their reputation, ThunderClan had had many kits taken by TrueClan. RiverClan, being a close second in power to ThunderClan, had also lost many kits. In these two clans, 'kit collections' were very common. ShadowClan was the clan all were wary of. Many believed them, not unreasonably, to be the reason this TrueClan curse was on them…not that anyone would say it out loud. Skull had come from ShadowClan, and his rule and demise had been what prompted TrueClan to form in the first place. Few kits were taken from ShadowClan. WindClan was the weakest of all clans, but an unwavering ally of ThunderClan. Very few WindClan kits had been taken by TrueClan.

Upon the party's arrival to the TrueClan border, the party of the newly taken kits were carried to a fast river and scrubbed with moss.

A mentor supervising explained to an apprentice, "To rid them of Clan scent, so they cannot return."

As the five dripping bundles of fur were taken before Dreamstar, to be named, the white tom spoke: "Two are named by Firestar: Fatekit and Spiritkit." He purred, nudging the two bright silver she-kits forward.

"If Firestar wished them named such, so be it," spoke Mooneyes before Dreamstar could speak. "Just name the others."

Dreamstar nodded, and looked down at the other remaining kits: one tom and two she-kits. The tom was a white with black stripes, and two golden she-kits, only one had blue eyes, the other had green.

"The tom will be called Stripekit, the golden with blue eyes is Aurakit, and the one with green eyes is Lilykit."

Hesitantly, the white tom spoke up again about the white tabby. "Aren't only PURE silver, white, and gold cats accepted to TrueClan? By StarClan's wishes?"

Mooneyes spoke, "Whitecoat, and all who have the same question, the stripes will fade, or be made to." She sighed heavily. "Besides, we need more toms at the start of our Clan. Extensions of the law will be allowed."

A pretty golden warrior named Dawnflower padded towards them and asked, with eyes gleaming in the moonlight, "Are these kits to be wiped, or are they too young to remember?"

"Stripekit, Lilykit and Aurakit will be wiped, but the others were born only half a moon ago, they will not remember," Dreamstar decided quickly. So the two smallest kits, triplets posing as twins, taken to the nursery and dried so they would not catch green-cough from the harsh leaf-bare weather. After being dried, they were given to a caregiver, while the other three were carried away to be wiped.

"Many kits for this year's leaf-bare," commented Mooneyes.

"Yes," replied Dreamstar. "Which makes me wonder…"

"No!" cut in Mooneyes, hair raised and tail thrashing angrily. "It will not happen! It is not them! The prophecy cannot-No! Will not come true!" She twitched her tail angrily, then stalked off to the TrueClan camp.

Dreamstar stared up at the sky. "There were only two," she whispered to herself. "But…still…"

Sandstorm watched as two kits from her litter were carried away. She instinctively knew this litter would be her last. As soon as they were out of sight, she whirled around into the nursery, where a bright ginger tom was lying, covering his other silver sister, Hopekit. As Sandstorm watched her daughter, fear over took her. Oh StarClan, what had she done? All silver, gold, or white kits were to be given to TrueClan. She knew if the searchers from TrueClan had seen little Hopekit, they would have taken her too. If ThunderClan found out what she had done, hiding a 'chosen one,' they would be horrified! And her mate, Firestar? What would he do if he found out? What _could_ he do but banish her and send the kit to TrueClan?

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Sandstorm looked stealthily around to see if any cats had yet left the main ground in the camp after the search. They had not. Frantically, she grabbed Hopekit and ran. She ran out of the camp using the back way. Blindly, she ran until she found herself at the river. She put her kit down in an exhaustion that was both physical and emotional. She looked at her kit. She had to give her up. But she couldn't! She turned around quickly, hearing a stray snapping of wood, and shielded her kit. No one was there. She began pacing, heart twisted in anguish. "No good choice can be reached," she whispered to herself.

"What if I left, and raised her in the forest? No, that won't work, I still have to raise her brother, and my friends, family….What if I hid her and cared for her in secret? No, someone would find her." As she spoke, the splash of a fish in the water broke her out of her confused and jumbled thoughts. She had to make a decision quickly, before she was found out and the choice was made for her. The splash caught her attention, though. Why couldn't she just put Hopekit in the river? She would be at peace with her warrior ancestors, StarClan, the great protectors of the forest and all its inhabitants. They would watch out for her, keep her safe from ALL harm forever." 'NO!' A voice in her head rejected that immediately. She could not kill her kit…but she could trust her to the river and to StarClan.

She searched silently for a stick of some kind and, to her luck, found one that was hollowed out. 'Like a small two-leg canoe, that goes down the river sometimes,' she thought. She looked around again. She was still unobserved. She then searched for dry moss, preferably some that had been warming in the sun all day. It seemed StarClan was with her, for she found some and carefully lined the hollow in the small log with it. Then, gently, she laid Hopekit on the moss. She looked around again quickly, and then, with a sob, gently nudged the kit into the river which was full of pollution from the two-legs. She looked up at the full moon in the sky and breathed a prayer.

"StarClan, watch over my Hopekit. Send her somewhere she will be loved and cared for, as I cannot love and care for her here and now. Please. Watch over her." When she could not watch anymore, she turned and walked slowly back to her clan, head and tail down, her soul crushed.

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AN-Hey! Long time no new updates! Well, this is just a new story idea. I've got some 50 pages of it, but I want feedback first. I want at least 7 reviews! Crossing my fingers for 10! Like it, hate it, reply. Please. Flames are used to melt the snow outside my window. Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

Hopekit's small mouth opened as she tried to draw in a breath of air. She was being was rolled head over heels, crashing into debris floating dangerously in the thickened black waters. She thrashed violently past potato chip bags, water bottles, and plywood from a construction site near the river. Her mossy log flipped and she was thrown out…straight into an open can of _Forever Black_ paint. In less than a minute, her thin silver body was newly painted jet black.

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A young ginger she-cat from RiverClan was sitting by the river, cursing the debris polluting it under her breath. How her Clan had starved all for the sake of the two-legs and their debris, killing all the fish and poisoning the water. The thing she feared most about the two-legs was their monsters. Roaring, stinking metal things with two-legs in their belly that rode the Thunderpath so quickly, they could kill a cat who wasn't careful enough when crossing. Her ears lay flat, and she hissed to show her distaste for the two-legs.

Suddenly her ears perked up as she heard the undeniable cries of a kit in distress, one that couldn't be more than a moon old. She wondered if its eyes were even open yet. She pinpointed the sound coming from a two-leg…she searched for the word…can. She fished it out of the river and pulled out the now midnight black she-kit. The poor kit was sopping wet and mewing desperately. Hollypelt unconsciously began to purr as she pulled the kit to her and began to lick her dry.

"Hello, little one," she whispered. "I have wanted a kit for a long time, and you look as if you could use a mother. What should I call such a pretty black kit as yourself? Hmmm." She pondered this for a moment, and then proclaimed, "Shadekit!" And so it was that Hopekit, the daughter of Firestar and Sandstorm of ThunderClan, became Shadekit, the daughter of Hollypelt, a RiverClan queen.

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"Hollypelt, what do you have there? RiverClan is desperate, but not enough to eat _crowfood!_" exclaimed one of Hollypelt's friends, a blue-grey queen named Mistyfoot. She wrinkled her nose at the stench coming from Hollypelt and the bundle she carried.

Hollypelt's face glowed with happiness as she showed her friend the kit she found.

"I found her in a two-leg can in the river. Her name is Shadekit!"

Mistyfoot sighed. She knew how much Hollypelt wanted a kit. RiverClan could use more paws to help hunt and feed the clan…maybe this kit wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Where do you plan to tell Leopardstar you got her?" she asked critically. If Hollypelt could think up a story that would pass by the sharp-witted RiverClan leader, then no cat would question this new addition to the clan.

Hollypelt's eyes grew wide in fear, and she pulled the kit closer to her. "I-I hadn't thought of that!"

Seeing the panic that spread across her friends face, Mistyfoot said comfortingly, "Don't worry, you can tell her she is yours and you simply let no one know you were to have kits. You have spent a lot of time outside of camp lately."

Hollypelt sighed in relief and nodded. "I was out, praying to StarClan to give me a kit. Others had told me to give up hope, but I still prayed." She looked down at the black bundle at her paws. "And it looks as though my prayers have been answered. StarClan heard and answered my prayer."

Mistyfoot purred in agreement and helped to settle her friend in the nursery with the other queens and kits.

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Sandstorm was able to slip back into camp unnoticed. At least, she hoped no one saw her. She wasn't trying very hard not to be seen. She just didn't care anymore. As she went into the nursery, one of the three other queens, Rosefoot stopped her.

"Sandstorm? Where were you? Burningkit wanted yo-" She trailed off when she saw the look on Sandstorm's face. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly. Sandstorm glanced at Rosefoot. The younger queen had also just had a kit taken too. Maybe she would understand. 'And maybe she wouldn't.' The voice in her head said. 'You shouldn't tell her. It's a secret. Hopekit is safe now. Don't tell. Don't-' Sandstorm started to talk, ignoring reason. "Promise you won't tell," she demanded.

Rosefoot nodded in confusion. What was Sandstorm going on about?

"I was hiding my kit," Sandstorm whispered. Rosefoot stared at Sandstorm in trepidation. Sandstorm couldn't possibly mean…or could she? Sandstorm sniffed. "Fatekit and Spiritkit weren't the only two 'chosen ones' born to this litter. Hopekit was one too. I know it was wrong, but I couldn't give her up! My baby…" she whispered, trailing off. Rosefoot looked at her in horror.

An angry hiss startled Sandstorm and Rosefoot. Another queen in the nursery known for her total support and dedication to TrueClan had woken. Sleetpelt glared at the two of them. "Sandstorm!" she hissed angrily. "What have you done?! You've hidden a chosen one?! How dare you! You should be honored to have kits able to be given up to TrueClan!"

All the noise had woken the last queen. Ivypelt's eyes grew wide as she realized what had happened. "No! Now ThunderClan is cursed because of you! The other two, Fatekit and Spiritkit, TrueClan will see them almost equally guilty! If TrueClan ever finds out, you'll be killed and they will be dishonored!"

Sleetpelt spoke up again. "Not to mention that TrueClan will see all of us as equally guilty," she shook her head. "I didn't think it was possible Sandstorm, but you may have doomed the entire clan in one mouse-brained move." Sandstorm lowered her head. What had she done?

Rosefoot stepped up. "You're right," she said. "All of you. TrueClan must never know. No one must ever know." Her eyes bore into each one of them in turn. "The only way to protect Sandstorm, let alone ThunderClan, is to never let word of this out to anyone. The four of us are the only ones who know."

Here Sleetpelt cut in angrily. "Five of us. You're forgetting Firestar. Do you think he lost track of how many kits he had and how many went to TrueClan? He will know!"

Sandstorm shook her head. "No, he doesn't know. They had only just been born before they were taken. He never saw them."

Rosefoot spoke again. "So then no one will know-"

Ivypelt interrupted this time. "What about the kit? Where is she? Where did you hide her?"

Sandstorm felt her heart freeze in her chest. "I-I killed her." It was almost true. Sandstorm thought. Or at least close enough. "I put her in the river and she died." Silence rang through the nursery, broken only by the quiet mewing of the remaining kits.

Sleetpelt spoke up briskly. "Well, maybe that's for the best." Then, without another word, she stalked back to the nest where her kits were and settled down for the night, carefully avoiding Sandstorm's gaze. One by one, the other queens followed her example. As Sandstorm curled up with Burningkit, her thoughts turned to her daughters, where ever they were now. She knew Fatekit and Spiritkit were safe, and she could only trust StarClan for Hopekit. She promised herself she would never give up hoping that she would see all of them again.

The next morning, it became obvious that one of the queens had told some, if not all, of the story of what really happened last night. Either way, Sandstorm noticed a marked difference in the way the rest of the clan treated her. She had been well-liked before, but now she was treated distantly at best, and with down right distain at worst. Any mention at all of her twins, or of 'the other' as Hopekit was dubbed, would send a ThunderClan cat into a panic. Sandstorm didn't really mind. She had only done what she had to. Even after her last son was apprenticed, she never stopped hoping and watching for her kits.

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A/N: Hello again! I am so pleased at my reviews! –heart- My writer's ego no longer fits through doors, but no problem there, right? I would like to apologize for how messy the page breaks, etc. are. I haven't quite gotten the hang of how works. I'll keep trying!

I'm not going to re-post until I have…15 reviews? Yes. I'll try to hold out.

I'm also not posting all of the story at once, because then you'll have to wait FOREVER for a new update. Ok! Read and enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

Title: TrueClan

Author: New Dragon Rider

Disclaimer: Um...none of this is mine. The setting and basis belongs to Erin Hunter, and the ideas and characters are my brain's. I have no control over what my brain does. I really, really don't...

* * *

Hollypelt sighed in frustration. Her kit's fur was one of her daily trials. She had never in all her days seen, or even heard of, such unruly fur! Shadekit's fur was a beautiful shade of black in Hollypelt's opinion, but it always took twice as long to groom her as it did to groom the other kits, and if she even gave Shadekit a small lick, a strange taste would linger in her mouth for hours afterward. Shadekit's fur would stick out at odd angles and refuse to lie down, especially if she was out in the rain or got wet. Hollypelt gave a small hiss of frustration. She loved her kit, but her fur drove her insane! She sighed. "All right, I think you're done now Shadekit. Just stay out of trouble and try to keep your fur neat!"

"All right Mother." Shadekit said and started to walk away. Suddenly, she hesitated. She had wanted to know who her dad was for a long time. As long as she could remember, it had just been her and her mother. That wasn't so unusual in the clan, most of her friend's father's didn't see them often, if at all. But they at least knew who they were. Hollypelt had been unusually tight-lipped about it. She was almost out of the nursery, when she turned back and started to talk to her mother again.

"Mother? You know how you said I could ask you anything?" Shadekit asked nervously, "Well, I've always wanted to ask you about who my father was. I'm almost six moons old now. Nearly an apprentice! I really want to know. Please tell me." She shivered slightly. Now that Shadekit had asked, she wondered if she should have. There must have been a good reason Hollypelt never told her. Maybe he was from a different clan, or wasn't even a clan cat! Or maybe he had died, or…who knew? There had to be a reason. She just wanted to know.

Hollypelt couldn't stand that innocent gaze of the kit. But she couldn't ignore the question again. Shadekit was right. She was old enough to know now. The only other option would be to lie to her, and Hollypelt would never purposely lie to anyone, let alone her kit.

Hollypelt took a deep breath to steady herself. "Your father is someone who loved you very much," she started, when Shadekit cut her off.

"'Loved'?" She asked quickly, "Then he's dead?" She bowed her head. "Oh. Ok then." Shadekit wiggled out of the den quickly. She didn't feel like playing. She knew she shouldn't have asked! She hadn't wanted to cut Hollypelt off so quickly, but she didn't want to hear about how her father had died. The past tense on the word love was enough. She decided she didn't want to know. Before, she could pretend that her father was someone important who really wanted her, but now, he was just dead. She sighed, and curled up into a ball of fur out in the sun. Maybe things would look better after a quick nap.

Hollypelt watched Shadekit go. Maybe she should have corrected her. Now her beloved kit thought her father was dead, the constant questions on the subject would end. Hollypelt knew it was wrong to lie, but she wanted this kit to be her own so much. She loved Shadekit like she was her real daughter, not an adopted one. Only she and Mistyfoot knew that Shadekit wasn't her real daughter. Hollypelt squirmed. Shadekit was still so young, reasoned Hollypelt. It wouldn't hurt to wait a while to tell her, would it?

* * *

Fatekit squirmed with excitement. For the past two moons, she had been looking forward to being an apprentice, first when her friend, Starpaw, had become one two moons ago. She and Spiritkit were the last two in kit-care because they were a moon younger than the others. She giggled quietly. She and Spiritkit were almost identical. When they wanted to, they could confuse everyone, even their caregiver, Pureheart.

The pretty golden she-cat refused to answer the duo's persistent questions as to where they came from. "You don't need to know!" she would hiss when they had really annoyed her. They had, however, managed to find out that they were going to be apprenticed tonight.

'_Spiritkit?' _She thought. It was a talent the two kits had only recently discovered. They could mind-speak together, but only when both were thinking of it.

'_Yes?' _Spiritkit replied, _'where are you?' _

'_I've been looking all over for you!' _Fatekit thought.

'_I'm with Pureheart. Now I'm stretching, and now I'm walking out of the Nursery. Where are you? _

Fatekit looked around her surroundings. _'I'm underneath the Great Rock. Come and find me!' _

Spiritkit poked her head under the rock. "What?"

"Shhhhh!" Fatekit hissed. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Look at Windswept and Hollyfur!" Spiritkit looked and saw the white tom purring and rubbing his fur against the pretty she-cat's side.

'_Oh!' _Spiritkit thought, _'Dreamstar isn't going to like this!' _

'_Yeah, wonder what she'll do! To love is not allowed. Any kits we need come from the clans.' _The two looked at each other.

'_So…should we tell on them?' _thought Spiritkit anxiously.

'_Um, let's leave and discuss this elsewhere, and can we please talk now?' _replied Fatekit. Being new to mind-speak, they could get tired easily. Silently, the she-kits moved away into the forest. Fatekit's comment about the clans brought up uneasy questions about who they were and where they had come from.

"So…" started Spiritkit, then she recklessly kept going, ignoring the questions plaguing both of them. "Do you think, when we're apprentices, that we'll be able to go to Gathering? It must be fun to go and see all the clans gathered together peacefully to discuss issues that are important to everyone! We'd even be able to listen to the leaders! Firestar of ThunderClan, Tallstar of WindClan, Blackstar of ShadowClan, and Leopardstar of RiverClan!" she squealed in excitement.

Fatekit rolled her eyes and voiced the thought both of them were thinking. "And maybe find out who our parents are, and what clan we're from?"

Spiritkit's eyes glowed with trepidation. "Such knowledge is forbidden until you're a warrior!" she hissed, worried that her twin would go too far in her obsession to find out where she was from.

"Maybe it is!" shouted Fatekit in anger. "But I don't care! To love is forbidden! But look at Windswept and Hollyfur! Do they care? NO!" After her outburst, both sat in silence.

Finally Spiritkit volunteered, "If we are 'good' clan cats, then maybe… someday… soon… we can find out."

* * *

Pureheart called her kits over to her. They weren't really her kits anymore of course, but to her, Fatekit and Spiritkit were the favorites of the many kits she had cared for.

Fatekit was first over. "Yes?" she asked. Pureheart smiled. So sweet. So serious and polite. Fatekit would go far in TrueClan. Once she was a little older, her wisdom and methodical thinking would earn her a place of honor.

Spiritkit ran up next. "Hmmm?"she asked. Pureheart had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Little Spiritkit. Full of fun and laughter, she was the polar opposite of her twin. Even so, the sisters were very close.

Pureheart pulled the two close and started to groom them. "Well, you'll want to be presentable for tonight, won't you?" Fatekit and Spiritkit nodded, and eagerly helped to get themselves ready.

* * *

The night was cool, but not uncomfortably so, thought Dreamstar. Not with the fireflies buzzing lazily around and the scent of sweet grass tickling her nostrils. She looked around at her clan gathered in front of the Great Stone. The full moon peeked out at all of them from behind it's covering of clouds. She decided it was time to start.

Dreamstar smiled down at her clan. "Today, we celebrate two of our cats starting their apprentice journey, and another starting a life of service to the clan as a warrior. Let us begin with the apprentices." She turned to Fatekit and Spiritkit with a smile. Spiritkit could feel her heart beat racing at twice her normal speed.

'_Oh, would you calm down? There's nothing to be nervous about. It's only us starting to learn how to be warriors, that's all!' _griped Fatekit, feeling the raw emotions of fear, excitement, and nervousness coursing from Spiritpaw. _'Besides,' _she said,_ 'the full moon's out. That's lucky.'_ Spiritkit looked over at Fatekit, who was uncommonly stiff and still, and realized that despite her sister's harsh words, she too was nervous. She did agree with the part about the lucky moon, though. Ever since they were little, the two liked to pretend that their parents were waiting for them with the full moon. Some of their friends did it too. They attached the feelings of the families that they lost to either something they could remember about the night they were brought to the clan, or to an object that felt warm or comforting to them. The twins had chosen the full moon.

"As you know, becoming apprentices is a step to becoming a warrior. It is at this stage that you receive your mentors to guide you into adulthood. As a sign of your new status, Fatekit and Spiritkit, your names will be changed to Fatepaw and Spiritpaw," Dreamstar said, oblivious to the silent exchange between the twins. "StarClan, look down on these apprentices, and approve my choice of mentors for them. Fatepaw, I take you as my apprentice, and Spiritpaw, Whitecoat will mentor you."

Fatepaw felt her heart jump as the leader of TrueClan was named her mentor. This was an honor she hadn't even been able to dream of! Being mentored by TrueClan's leader herself! Spiritpaw faced her twin with a smile. She knew Fatepaw was out of her mind with joy. Spiritpaw was just glad it was over and she had a good mentor. The TrueClan deputy was kind, but she had been so nervous!

The apprentice named Lunapaw, soon to be a young warrior, looked down at the twins with distain. She sniffed in a way which seemed to say, 'Apprentices, so immature. Typical.'

Dreamstar looked at Lunapaw. "Do you promise to care for the clans of our forest, never take more kits from them than necessary, never love, only fight for the defense of a clan and heal all sick until StarClan takes you?"

The silver apprentice nodded slowly. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lunapaw, as a symbol of being a warrior, take the name Lunafur. The clan of your birth was ThunderClan. You come from a good line with a good reputation. You should be proud."

Lunafur nodded, looking relieved that she wasn't from another, less desirable clan, and then walked over to join the other warriors. Pureheart watched with tears of pride and joy as her twins met with their new mentors. She wouldn't see them again. It wasn't the way things worked. She sighed and walked back to the kit-care, her paws feeling unusually heavy tonight.

* * *

Hollypelt watched as Shadekit finished grooming herself. It had taken hours, but the final result was worth it. "Are you nervous?" she asked.

Shadekit nodded, then shook her head. "Kinda," she finally admitted. "I feel alone." A beam of moonlight stopped her words. "But the full moon's lucky. Sometimes, I like to think that someone who loves me is up there watching over me in the moon."

Hollypelt felt a chill sweep through her. Her mind flickered back to when she had first found her kit. She should have told Shadekit that she wasn't really her mother, but it was too late now. Hollypelt thought. There was no need for Shadekit to know now. Not ever to know. She was happy not knowing. It's not like she would ever find out anyway. She hurried to cover up her feelings, saying, "Well, you had better hurry up. Leopardstar is waiting for you." Shadekit purred, gave her mother a quick lick, and hurried to sit before her leader.

Leopardstar smiled at Shadekit. The kit was a little strange, she admitted, rather an anomaly. She was always up for some fun, yet could switch from excited and jumpy to calm and still in seconds. Anyhow, the kit was now ready to become an apprentice, and she more than deserved it. Leopardstar covered a grin as she saw some of the RiverClan kits chasing the fireflies that flickered in and out of vision.

"Shadekit, you are now old enough to become an apprentice. Take the name Shadepaw as a sign of becoming an apprentice. Shadepaw, do you promise to study StarClan's ways, and learn from your mentor until you are deemed ready to join the ranks of warriors?"

Without hesitating, Shadepaw answered, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I proclaim Stonefur your mentor until you become a warrior." RiverClan cheered as Shadepaw proudly lifted her head to acknowledge them, taking in the suddenly much sweeter scent of the grass around the camp and the soft sounds of the flowing river for the first time as an apprentice. Hollypelt looked on with pride and, though she wouldn't admit it, fear. Suddenly, her worries about not telling Shadepaw that she wasn't her own daughter increased. She wondered, if Shadepaw ever found out, would she ever forgive her for not saying anything?

Stonefur jogged up to meet his new apprentice. He smiled at her and touched noses with her in greeting. "In the morning, if you like, we'll go to see our territory."

Shadepaw's eyes lit up. "That would be great, Stonefur! Thank you!"

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A/N: Hey! Not much luck with the technical stuff, I know and I'm sorry. I don't have 15 reviews yet, but I'm tired of waiting. I have a story I think is worth reading, so I'm going to post it darn it! I'll probally be posting a lot of the story over the next week. I've officially run out of other things to do, and I'm bored. I hope that's ok with everyone…

Please review, they really do keep me posting, and so I'm not above begging. You don't have to be logged in to review. Just click the pretty little purple button and tell me what you think. It doesn't have to be long, a couple words will do. Please? You don't have to like it...just review...


	4. Chapter 4

Title: TrueClan

Author: New Dragon Rider

Disclaimer: Erin Hunter's background, my plot. Characters kinda split between us...

* * *

The newly named Fatepaw and Spiritpaw were waiting at the apprentice den for their new mentors. As Whitecoat came trotting towards them, he said cheerfully, "Dreamstar can't come today. She has to choose the cats to go to the Gathering." Both apprentices nodded that they understood.

"Um…can you…I mean, will you take us," started Spiritpaw,

"to see the territory of the five Clans?" Fatepaw finished her sister's question.

Whitecoat looked at them strangely, but nodded. "First, we'll see TrueClan territory, though any Clan may hunt here if times are bad." The apprentices nodded, and the lesson continued. He showed them the Crystal Pool. When the moon came up, it was rumored that in the pool you could see what you most desired, if you were worthy enough of the honor. He showed them the Thunderpath that wove it's way through all five territories, and where the two-leg monsters roamed free, and Fourtrees, where the Gatherings were held every month. "Those are the borders of TrueClan. Draw an imaginary line between them to form the complete boundary. Now for WindClan!" Whitecoat took the apprentices across the Thunderpath, showing them how to cross safely, and to the great plain that made up most of WindClan.

'_Wow!' _Thought Spiritpaw _'Really lonely and barren! Just the Thunderpath, a few rabbits, and the pla__ins__!' _Fatepaw agreed with her.

They walked through a patch of ground that was adjacent to WindClan's plains. The ground got progressively damper until it was more like a swamp. Then, they saw ShadowClan's borders, from where the clan found food at the carrion place, to the ever present Thunderpath, and Fourtrees. Rising mist clouded the visitors' vision and deadened what sounds were made in the seemingly silent forest. Even in the beginnings of newleaf, all of the trees were still skeletons with not even the start of leaf buds to grace their branches. Spiritkit wrinkled her nose against the reek coming from the carrion ShadowClan ate.

A sudden screech from a crow easily as large as either of the apprentices reminded them that, even though all TrueClan cats were allowed to go anywhere unharmed and unchallenged, they walked carefully in ShadowClan. Hurriedly, the trio crossed the border out. Spiritpaw was glad to leave; she had heard a few too many ghost stories in TrueClan, now reinforced by the ominous setting in ShadowClan, to feel completely comfortable there.

"Whitecoat, do we get stay where you were born for the night tonight?" asked Fatepaw.

Whitecoat's eyes glittered happily as he replied, "Yes!" He valued apprentices who were clever and perceptive.

As Spiritpaw ran ahead, Fatepaw said, "So, you must have been born in ThunderClan."

Whitecoat nodded, surprised. "How did you know?"

"Well," she replied "you could have taken us to their territory first, since their camp is closest to ours, but instead, we went to WindClan, so you must have been saving ThunderClan for last!" she ended brightly.

Whitecoat laughed. "You, Fatepaw, are going to be a joy to teach. I almost wish you were my apprentice!" As the trio continued to RiverClan, Whitecoat stopped at the river. "The river surrounds all of RiverClan territory. No need to swim unless you want to, you'll learn later." The she-cats were tired, and didn't really want to swim, but Whitecoat had smelled an old friend named Mistyfoot, so he led them across some stones into RiverClan territory.

A welcome party made up of four cats, two apprentices and their mentors, approached. One of the mentors, a smoky grey tom, was introduced as Stonefur and the other mentor was a dark brown tom who introduced himself as Loudbelly. Whitecoat purred with delight and said to Stonefur, "How is your sister, Mistyfoot?"

"She's fine. Her last litter of kits are already apprentices! I can't believe how fast the time flew by!" he answered, then turned and introduced his apprentice. "This is Shadepaw." For the first time, Spiritpaw and Fatepaw noticed the midnight black she-cat. They barely heard Loudbelly say that the light brown she-cat was Treepaw.

'_I_ _wonder what it's lik_e _in TrueClan?' _a voice asked in Fatepaw's head.

Fatepaw whirled around to face Spiritpaw. _'Did you say that?' _she demanded. Almost instantaneously, she heard two separate answers:

'_No,' _said a very confused Spiritpaw, and

'_Who said that!?' _

Spiritpaw looked up and saw the panicked look on the black apprentice's face. She nudged Fatepaw to look up, and when she did, she noticed Shadepaw's distress.

'..._Shadepaw?' _Fatepaw thought in disbelief.

'_Y-yes? Who are you?' _

'_I'm Fatepaw.' _

'_And I'm Spiritpaw,' _cut in Spiritpaw, then stopped short as she caught Fatepaw's glare.

"Shadepaw, you have a beautiful black coat." Fatepaw said out loud, but in her mind, she said, _'Can you keep speaking like this so the mentors won't catch on? And can you come to the next Gathering?' _

"Thank you," Shadepaw replied. _'Yes, my mentor is the deputy's brother, and we can go when we want to.' _

"You're welcome." _'Ok, then after Gathering is over, meet us along the TrueClan/RiverClan border.'_

"It was nice meeting you." _'I will'_

"Nice meeting you too." By the end of the conversation, Spiritpaw was almost in tears trying not to laugh at the exchange going on between her sister and Shadepaw, so cleverly disguised from the others present.

Whitecoat notice her snorting and tearing up. "Spiritpaw, are you all right?" he asked, concerned.

Spiritpaw's head shot up, and she had to think fast to come up with something that wouldn't be suspicious. "Yes…I just…breathed in a bug."

Whitecoat seemed satisfied, and then Stonefur cut in. "I know you have a lot of ground to cover still. I won't try to hold you here." Saying goodbye and thanking them for their time, the TrueClan cats left RiverClan territory and entered ThunderClan territory by crossing back over the stones. Fatepaw felt exceptionally confused about what had just happened with Shadepaw. Even Spiritpaw was put off from her usual buoyancy by the event. The twins mind talked through different theories of what could have caused it.

'_Could we have just imagined it?' _started Spiritpaw.

Fatepaw snorted. _'Both of us? At the same time? And Shadepaw? She was really scared, just looking at her you could tell that. No. We didn't imagine it. Do you think we could have met when we were little?'_

'_No, I don't think so. I didn't know any cat's outside of TrueClan before today, and she's RiverClan.' _

'_Well, I, um, well, I have no idea,'_ Fatepaw finally concluded. Spiritpaw agreed whole-heartedly

Whitecoat didn't seem to notice their agitation and kept talking about ThunderClan's various landmarks.

"The Owl Tree is a great place to go bird hunting, and Sunning Rocks is the best place to relax and get warm any time. Tallpines is next to the two-leg place and has prey even in the coldest months. Snakerocks is dangerous, but is the best place to go looking for some herbs, but be careful of the snakes. The Great Sycamore tree is the place to learn to climb, and of course, the famous battle training grounds, Sandy Hollow!"

As Fatepaw passed the tall trees, she felt, rather than heard, a soft, loving, voice purring, _'Good-bye, my sweet little Fatekit, and dear Spiritkit. __Fortunes__ attend to you and keep you safe, __chosen ones__ of my last litter. Remember this, the last and only farewell from your mother and your Clan, my dear ones…'_ Fatepaw felt the fur along her spine begin to stand up in response to the voice. Then, her eyes got very wide and she gasped. She knew that voice! Where had she heard it before?

"Fatepaw? Are you all right?" asked Whitecoat anxiously.

"I-I'm fine," she whispered, feeling anxiously for that voice again. It did not come. For a reason she didn't know, the absence of that voice shook her. She was _sure_ she had heard that voice before, but whose voice was it?

"Well, if you're ok, we go to the ThunderClan camp. It's getting late."

Spiritpaw followed, worried about her sister. She started to talk to her. _'Fatepaw? Are you all right? That's twice today you've acted weird.' _

Fatepaw nodded. _'I'm fine, but couldn't you hear that?'_

Spiritpaw frowned_. 'I felt really safe, and warm, but I didn't hear anything, not really anyway. Just Whitecoat talking.' _Fatepaw nodded and was silent, and even for her, that was unusual.

* * *

"Hey, Shadepaw, what's wrong?" Treepaw asked her silent friend after the TrueClan cats had left and they were back in the RiverClan camp. 

"Nothing…did you sense anything weird about the TrueClan cats? "

"Not really, but TrueClan cats are sooo mysterious!"

Shadepaw just shook her head at her friend. "Do you ever take anything seriously? Anything at all?"

Treepaw's face screwed up in righteous indignation. "Of course!" She said, feigning hurt. Shadepaw just looked at her with one eyebrow raised in an expression that signaled disbelief. "Ok, maybe not a lot, but what's with you? You're too serious, too good in training. You're the best at everything! You should have been born a chosen one! I bet you're better than most of the TrueClan apprentices! Maybe even better than some of the warriors! You're even better than your mentor Stonefur, one of the best warriors in all of RiverClan's memory! And those cats here today. Did you see the way they looked at you?"

Shadepaw didn't even look up. Treepaw frowned at Shadepaw's complete unresponsiveness. "Hey!" she said, and swiped at Shadepaw's tail with claws outstretched, tearing off the fur at the end of Shadepaw's tail. Shadepaw spat and raised her paw to swipe back, then stopped dead when she heard Treepaw gasp.

"What?" Shadepaw asked. Treepaw pointed shakily towards the fur stuck in her claws. The first claw length or so it was deep black. The rest of the fur was silver, as bright as the fur of the two TrueClan apprentices that had been there earlier.

Treepaw looked into Shadepaw's eyes with a new sense of respect. "Wow," was all she said, while Shadepaw could only stare in horror at the piece of her fur in Treepaw's claw.

* * *

Two black ThunderClan apprentices ran back to camp as fast as they could. 

"Hurry!" squealed the she-cat.

"I am!" panted the tom. As they skidded into camp, their eyes searched out Firestar.

"Firestar!" panted the she-cat, "A TrueClan party approaches, Whitecoat and two silver apprentices!"

A pale ginger queen named Sandstorm stood up suddenly, hope in her eyes. "Firestar?" her voice quivered.

His eyes met hers. "Perhaps Sandstorm, perhaps."

* * *

Fatepaw followed Spiritpaw and Whitecoat into ThunderClan camp. A pale grey queen came trotting up to Whitecoat, purring his name. 

Whitecoat turned to her smiling and said, "Hello mother." He purred as she licked his shoulder, both a sign of respect and affection.

A flame colored tom scrambled over to him, too. The tom started talking excitedly to Whitecoat. "Whitecoat! How are you? Are these your apprentices? Who are they?"

Whitecoat laughed and answered, "Flamepelt! Slow down! I'm fine. This one is my apprentice, Spiritpaw, and the other is Fatepaw, apprentice to Dreamstar." Complete silence throughout the whole clan followed his words.

A queen named Rosefoot glanced up in fear. "Fatepaw?! Spiritpaw?!" she asked.

"Yes, Fatepaw and Spiritpaw," Whitecoat said in obvious confusion. 'Why would ThunderClan act like this?' he thought to himself. 'Why, unless…' Uneasily, he asked, "Why?"

She opened her mouth, but closed it immediately at a glare from another queen named Sleetpelt. Rosefoot gave a small whimper and fled back to the den, where she sat panting. This had to be a TrueClan curse, or some kind of trick!! How did Sandstorm's other two kits come to be the apprentice of a TrueClan cat from ThunderClan? These questions and more filled her head to the point that she could think about nothing else.

'_What's wrong with us?' _wondered Spiritpaw

'_I don't know, but listen to what they're saying now,' _answered Fatepaw. Gesturing towards Spiritpaw, a warrior hissed, "Were they together?"

Whitecoat looked unsure, then muttered, "Yes." An uneasy stirring moved through the crowd. Whitecoat looked around. He didn't know how it had happened, but some how ThunderClan had recognized these apprentices. This went against TrueClan law. Even a false rumor of a TrueClan cat's heritage could lead to the death of the cat who had given the information out. The greatest power of the TrueClan cat's was their aloofness from the four clans. If no one knew where a TrueClan cat was from, they would respect all of them on the off chance that he or she was from their own clan. Whitecoat knew where Fatepaw and Spiritpaw were from, as he had been part of the group that had taken them.

There was no doubt left in his mind that this rumor was not the mindless gossip of queens. Someone knew and once TrueClan found out who, they would be marked for a quick, gruesome death. He glanced over at the apprentices to gauge how much they seemed have guessed from the strange encounter. What he saw concerned him. The twins were looking from the ThunderClan cats to Whitecoat, and then at each other, with calculating glances.

"We are leaving," Whitecoat snapped. "Come on" He led the duo back towards TrueClan. Within a seemingly short time, the day was over, and they were back safely in TrueClan.

* * *

Shadepaw was losing her patience with Treepaw. She had worn a rut into the earthy ground by the river after pacing for hours, yet she hadn't even seemed to make a dent in Treepaw's head. She was trying to convince her friend to keep silent about her strange fur coloring. "Listen to me! You cannot tell anyone, and I mean anyone about my fur. Got it?" 

Treepaw ruefully shook her head. "All right, but with leaf-bare almost over, your coat will be falling out soon. Then everyone will see anyway." Shadepaw gulped. She hadn't thought of that.

* * *

A/N: Sandstorm and Firestar don't know if the TrueClan cats coming are their kits, much less Fatepaw and Spiritpaw, but they have other, older kits in TrueClan, so of course they'd excited to see them. 

Ok, I know it's not very author-ly to squeal and rock back and forth while reading reviews, but you guys are AWESOME!!! I couldn't ask for a better audience! I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to update, but a lot of stuff's been happening in my life recently…anyhow, here it is.

One thing, I have noticed myself, (and it's been mentioned to me by a frazzled beta…) that I have quite a few characters, and they are hard to keep track of. Therefore, I have painstakingly made a nice, easy chart-like thing of who's who, and what clan they are. Are you interested in me posting this? Tell me in your reviews, please!

Oh, and I will do my best to post sooner next time. Thank you all so much for your patience!


	5. Chapter 5

Title: TrueClan

Author: New Dragon Rider

Disclaimer: Erin Hunter's woods, I just play there.

* * *

Later that night, deep inside the cave of the Medicine Cat with only the cold twinkling stars and warm night air as silent witnesses, Whitecoat approached Mooneyes to discus two special apprentices. "Mooneyes, they were recognized in their birth clan. You know that means someone told ThunderClan about them. There is no other way it could have happened. The punishment for a crime such as that is death. What should we do?"

Whitecoat couldn't see Mooneye's face clearly as it was obscured by shadows. She sat silent for a long moment, then said, "For now, do nothing, Whitecoat. Simply continue their training at double time. They are Firestar's kits, after all. They should excel quickly. Now, give them this." Mooneyes pushed him two small plants that smelled faintly of chamomile. "They will forget." was all she said, then turned and crept deeper into the cave.

Whitecoat stared at the herbs. He recognized them immediately. They would put the eater into a deep sleep and wipe out all their recent memories. He sighed. He didn't want to have to do this to the twins, but he trusted Mooneyes, and would do whatever she asked him to. Yes, it went against what he believed in. But it was the law, and he would follow it out to the letter. He left quickly, hurriedly thinking of a way to hide the herbs so the twins wouldn't find them while eating them.

* * *

The next morning, Fatepaw woke up next to Spiritpaw curled inside the apprentice den with pale sunshine streaming through the branches. _'I feel really guilty 'bout yesterday,' _Fatepaw thought. 

Spiritpaw yawned _'Me too, but try not to feel bad. We didn't do anything!' _

"Rise and shine, sleepy heads!" purred Whitecoat with something that seemed to the twins to be false cheer. "Spiritpaw, you and I will be going to RiverClan to learn to swim. Fatepaw, Dreamstar is waiting for you at ThunderClan's Sandy Hollow, but first, eat up!" He gestured towards two unusually plump mice.

Fatepaw looked at the mice and her eyes narrowed. TrueClan cats weren't waited on by anyone. Even the youngest kit had to make the trip over to the fresh-kill pile to get their own food. She casually opened her mouth to let the scent of the two mice run over the scent glands in her mouth, carefully disguising the action as a wide yawn. Her eyes opened wide. She could just faintly smell chamomile. Her eyes darted quickly up to Whitecoat's face, then said cheerfully, "Ok!" But before Spiritpaw could say a word, Fatepaw thought, _'Come on! Follow my lead!' _Fatepaw kept up her sweet smile until Whitecoat left with a silent warning to hurry directed at Spiritpaw through their link. She grabbed a mouse and, without sinking her teeth into it, carried it to the woods, and threw it in a small, quick stream.

Spiritpaw gasped, "What did you do that for?"

"Because, it's been drugged," Fatepaw replied, cutting open the last mouse, to find it filled to bursting with a dry, green plant. "Does that convince you?" she asked shakily.

"Wh-who could do that?" wondered Spiritpaw.

'_I don't know, but we must never say a word about yesterday. Whoever did this wanted us to forget. It might be a good idea to not speak of this incident out loud ever again. Now, let's get rid of this mouse,' _instructed Fatepaw.

'_But,' _argued Spiritpaw, _'this is the only food we get all day!' _

"One day with no food won't kill us, and we can hunt for ourselves later. Just pretend to have eaten the mice and to have forgotten. Got it?"

* * *

Whitecoat met up with Spiritpaw just outside of the TrueClan camp, and the two of them journeyed to the large yet shallow river that separated RiverClan from the rest of the forest. Whitecoat started by explaining the basic points of swimming, the most important being keeping one's head above the water. They had not been working long when Spiritpaw felt her lack of a good breakfast begin to catch up with her. Her stomach started to growl, quietly at first, then louder and louder, until even Whitecoat could hear it. 

"Spiritpaw! For the love of StarClan! What _is_ that noise!?" hissed Whitecoat.

"S-sorry, I guess it's just my stomach rumbling," she said sheepishly.

Whitecoat's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Didn't you eat today? You had that mouse, a big one, too."

'_Fatepaw! What do I do?' _Spiritpaw thought, panicked.

'_Um…say yes, but that you get hungry easily,' _Fatepaw suggested.

As Spiritpaw related her words to Whitecoat, he seemed to accept them. "Now, try to swim again, and this time, remember the most important point of swimming. Make sure to keep your head above the water!"

* * *

After Spiritpaw and Whitecoat had left, Fatepaw met up with Dreamstar, and the two traveled to Sandy Hollow in ThunderClan. Fatepaw was having a much better session than Spiritpaw was. After using her sister's excuse to explain her own hunger, she was able to concentrate solely on her lesson. 

"Good Fatepaw!" encouraged Dreamstar as her apprentice expertly flipped her onto her back. "I never saw you coming! But," she added slyly, "here's a move I bet you've never seen!" She quickly grabbed Fatepaw's shoulder in her teeth, and instead of trying to pull her over, she pushed, using Fatepaw's momentum to roll her onto her back.

Fatepaw came up, spitting out sand and grit between her teeth. Then, with a yowl, she dove between Dreamstar's front legs and flipped her, then pinned her down, saying, "How's that?"

"Good," purred Dreamstar, "good."

* * *

After the apprentices had gotten back from their respective lessons, they found a good opportunity to sneak away to hunt. The two crept through the crunchy bracken, carefully stalking their prey. 

As Fatepaw opened her mouth to talk, Spiritpaw glared at her, thinking, '_Hush! I can smell a mouse!' _

'_Hope this one's not poisoned!' _Fatepaw thought back cheerfully. Silently, the sisters snuck up on the fat mouse, then Fatepaw pounced, and before the mouse could move, or even cry out, it was dead.

"Good! I'm starving!" proclaimed Spiritpaw. They quickly devoured their prey and hurried back to TrueClan before they were noticed missing. No one saw them in the forest at all, except for one pair of brilliant blue eyes.

* * *

The ShadowClan apprentice ran through the bracken. He winced as he remembered that he was supposed to be hunting. He hadn't meant too, but somehow he had ended up off track after following the TrueClan apprentices for a while. Hopefully, if he brought back enough fresh kill, it might ensure that he wouldn't be punished for being impudent and running off his appointed task to innocently spy on other cats. If he was able to find enough prey, he wouldn't even have to tell them he hadn't been hunting at all! He smiled at this thought, attempted to stalk some prey on his way back to ShadowClan, but the prey had simply decided to be in another part of the forest today. 

He winced just outside the entrance to the camp. His mentor would be so angry at him for not hunting when he was supposed to…he should talk to his leader, Blackstar first. He wouldn't get as mad as his mentor, and might be able to stop Darkfur from punishing him to badly.

He hesitantly wormed his way into the camp, hurrying up to his leader to try and explain to him why he had failed.

Blackstar looked up at him with a frown that asked why, after a full day of hunting, he had brought back none of the fresh-kill that the clan so badly needed.

"Blackstar, I really meant to be hunting, I was, but…but then I… AAHHH!!!" the young tom screamed as his mentor's claws cut across the bridge of his nose, tracing over his scalp amd along his spine to the tip of his tail.

"Impudent apprentice!" a black tom named Darkfur yowled. "You were supposed to go on hunting duty, not run who knows where around the forest! Your father always was…"

At these words, the tom's anger flared. "I know what my father was!" he spat through the pain. It wasn't enough that he had witnessed his father's death, not enough he had been orphaned with his three siblings after his mother had pined away over their father and starved to death, not enough that he had to be like his father in appearance, not enough that they, his brothers and sister and him, had only been kits at the time, totally innocent. Now, he would be like his father in appearance completely. Even down to the scar Darkfur had just torn down his back.

"Darkfur, wait. You moved in haste. What were you trying to tell me Doompaw? Where did you say you were?" Blackstar asked Doompaw.

Doompaw looked at him in disgust. "I wasn't anywhere," he lied. He lifted his head to see Moonshadow, ShadowClan's medicine cat, calmly walking towards him. She handed him some dried leaves.

"Take these and eat them. Thy sister, Blackpaw, twill help thee, now run along," she said. Doompaw's lip curled in contempt for the old medicine cat. He hated the way she talked, like she was better than everyone else. He was barely able to suppress the growl of rage inside him at the suggestion that he 'run along' when he could barely move, let along walk. Doompaw lowered his head the slightest bit to respect staggered out of Blackstar's presence and into the waiting paws of his brothers, Silentpaw and Swiftpaw.

"Shhh, quiet now, Doompaw. We will avenge the wrongs against our family one day," crooned his sister. As she began doctoring his wounds, his brothers whispered their latest plans for revenge in his ear. He was content. His sister would heal his physical wounds, but his brothers soothed his soul.

* * *

A/N: Hey. -dodges angry reviewers- Sorry this is so late! I posted a full explination on my profile, if you're truly interested, you may look there. If not, enjoy the update! 

Who is this mysterious cat? What part will he play? I could have left you with a cliffe, but decided I wasn't that mean. Please, please, please review. I'm serious, I got a review (not even for this story) and it made me so happy I'm posting this! Now, all of you are intellegent people. Sooo...use the brain you were gifted with and do the math. ReviewsUpdates. Say it with me! Good. Now press the pretty purple-ish button down there...and get an update faster!


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